# The comedy Airplane! was released 30 years ago! Surely you can't be serious! **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 10, 2010, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-comedy-airplane-was-released-30-years-ago-surely-you-cant-be-serious/546249 "2010-07-10T21:33:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 10
**Author:** ![Wargamer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/df705f/32.png) [@Wargamer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wargamer)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2010, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-comedy-airplane-was-released-30-years-ago-surely-you-cant-be-serious/546249/181 "2010-07-20T00:06:53Z")
I’m giving this thread five more minutes, but that’s it! ---
**Author:** ![Sir\_T-Cups](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ed655f/32.png) [@Sir\_T-Cups](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sir_T-Cups)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2010, 3:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-comedy-airplane-was-released-30-years-ago-surely-you-cant-be-serious/546249/182 "2010-07-20T03:36:24Z")
> [@gonzomax](#): > > Wrong movie, that is Idiocracy. It’s half right. He kinda merged the lines a bit. It’s after the “How soon can we land…You can tell me I’m a doctor” “I mean I’m just not sure…” ---
**Author:** ![Rhythmdvl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/85f322/32.png) [@Rhythmdvl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhythmdvl)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2010, 4:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-comedy-airplane-was-released-30-years-ago-surely-you-cant-be-serious/546249/183 "2010-07-20T04:27:03Z")
> [@Rhythmdvl](#): > > Hey, where’s the forklift thread? > [@runner pat](#): > > [“It’s over there!”](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=570360)_waves flashlights_ 😃 Top tier of sight-gags: The hysterical woman woman scene is great on its own, but the extraordinarily subtle one-more-for-good-measure slap that Nielsen gets in is priceless. ([clip](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SYiv76qRCkA&feature=related)) ---
**Author:** ![Rick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9f8e36/32.png) [@Rick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2010, 4:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-comedy-airplane-was-released-30-years-ago-surely-you-cant-be-serious/546249/184 "2010-07-20T04:57:22Z")
This thread is going down, the mods will have to use the [manual inflation valve](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vm7i2825dg8&feature=related). ---
**Author:** ![BMalion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e274bd/32.png) [@BMalion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BMalion)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2010, 11:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-comedy-airplane-was-released-30-years-ago-surely-you-cant-be-serious/546249/185 "2010-07-20T11:35:35Z")
Please assume your crash positions! ---
**Author:** ![Death\_of\_Rats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a6a055/32.png) [@Death\_of\_Rats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Death_of_Rats)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2010, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-comedy-airplane-was-released-30-years-ago-surely-you-cant-be-serious/546249/186 "2010-07-20T15:18:38Z")
LISTEN KID. I’ve been hearing that crap ever since I was at UCLA. I’m out there busting my buns every night. Tell your old man to drag Walton and Lanier up and down the court for 48 minutes. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2010, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-comedy-airplane-was-released-30-years-ago-surely-you-cant-be-serious/546249/187 "2010-07-20T16:26:22Z")
Please don’t panic, but… is there anyone aboard who could mod this thread? ---
**Author:** ![BMalion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e274bd/32.png) [@BMalion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BMalion)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2010, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-comedy-airplane-was-released-30-years-ago-surely-you-cant-be-serious/546249/188 "2010-07-20T17:14:15Z")
“…yes, birds too.” ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Scud](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f08c70/32.png) [@Tom\_Scud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Scud)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2010, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-comedy-airplane-was-released-30-years-ago-surely-you-cant-be-serious/546249/189 "2010-07-20T17:19:15Z")
good luck, we’re all counting on you. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2010, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-comedy-airplane-was-released-30-years-ago-surely-you-cant-be-serious/546249/190 "2010-07-20T17:42:20Z")
And Leon’s getting largerrrrrrrrr ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2010, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-comedy-airplane-was-released-30-years-ago-surely-you-cant-be-serious/546249/191 "2010-07-20T18:31:56Z")
Where did you get that DRESS?! It’s AWFUL! And that PURSE and those SHOES…! ---
**Author:** ![Haunted\_Pasta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/94ad74/32.png) [@Haunted\_Pasta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Haunted_Pasta)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2010, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-comedy-airplane-was-released-30-years-ago-surely-you-cant-be-serious/546249/192 "2010-07-20T20:14:51Z")
Some of the bigger laughs I’ve ever gotten have come from unexpectedly pulling out an _Airplane!_ line for a fan of the movie. One time I was on a business flight with a co-worker. Our commuter plane pulled up to the gate and stopped. (Everyone waits for a moment in silence until the captain cuts the engines.) (Everyone continues to sit in silence as the props slow to a stop, waiting for the OK to get up and leave.) (Engines stop, but no signal yet. Still silence.) Me, turning to co-worker: “Christmas, Ted… what does it mean to you?” Big laughs. It’s also fun, anytime someone mentions a third person being sick, to add “He thinks he’s Ethel Merman…YOU’LL BE SWELL! YOU’LL BE GREAT! YOU’LL HAVE THE WHOLE WORLD ON A PLATE!” My favorite sight gag was in the dive when Ted first met Elaine. He’s standing next to some swarthy, rough-and-tumble sailor type. Robert Hays’ voiceover narration describes his stunned reaction and, as we see him murmer something to the sailor guy, says “I had to ask the guy next to me to pinch me to see if I was dreaming.” Sailor guy whirls his head around and bolts off-camera. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2010, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-comedy-airplane-was-released-30-years-ago-surely-you-cant-be-serious/546249/193 "2010-07-20T21:11:37Z")
My own personal favourite sight gag is the neverending instrument panel. ---
**Author:** ![Rilchiam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/2bfe46/32.png) [@Rilchiam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rilchiam)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2010, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-comedy-airplane-was-released-30-years-ago-surely-you-cant-be-serious/546249/194 "2010-07-20T21:42:13Z")
“Wash, soak, rinse, spin…” ---
**Author:** ![cmkeller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmkeller/32/118_2.png) [@cmkeller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmkeller)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2010, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-comedy-airplane-was-released-30-years-ago-surely-you-cant-be-serious/546249/195 "2010-07-20T21:48:46Z")
Haunted Pasta: > [@](#): > > My favorite sight gag was in the dive when Ted first met Elaine. He’s standing next to some swarthy, rough-and-tumble sailor type. Robert Hays’ voiceover narration describes his stunned reaction and, as we see him murmer something to the sailor guy, says “I had to ask the guy next to me to pinch me to see if I was dreaming.” Sailor guy whirls his head around and bolts off-camera. I prefer the one right before it, where you hear the “sultry sexy” music as a good looking pair of legs walks across the bar, and then you see that the woman in question is fully clothed and playing that music on her trombone. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2010, 4:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-comedy-airplane-was-released-30-years-ago-surely-you-cant-be-serious/546249/196 "2010-07-21T04:52:44Z")
> [@Haunted\_Pasta](#): > > … “I had to ask the guy next to me to pinch me to see if I was dreaming.” Sailor guy whirls his head around and bolts off-camera. IIRC, the other guy just sort of slides away, niiiiiiiice and easy… ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2010, 7:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-comedy-airplane-was-released-30-years-ago-surely-you-cant-be-serious/546249/197 "2010-07-21T07:55:01Z")
I just re-watched the DVD, with commentary by the ZAZ team, added 20 years or so later. At some point one of them said. “There were about 30 versions of the script – all typed.” and another pops in and says, “Perhaps you’d like to explain to our audience what a typewriter is…” Also, almost in the first scene, as people are coming into the airport, one of them says, “There’s my wife.” She was an extra and they met while filming that scene, so of course at the time he didn’t know she would later be his wife. And I didn’t know until listening to this that none of them had anything at all to do with _Airplane II_, and they all claim that to this day they’ve never watched it. My favorite bit of commentary was about trying to explain to the principle actors, particularly Peter Graves and Lloyd Bridges, what was supposed to be so funny and where were the jokes. Robert Stack understoood it perfectly and said, “WE are the jokes”. ---
**Author:** ![Sigmagirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c89c15/32.png) [@Sigmagirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigmagirl)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2010, 12:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-comedy-airplane-was-released-30-years-ago-surely-you-cant-be-serious/546249/198 "2010-07-21T12:44:14Z")
And tell the milkman: NO MORE CHEESE! Blasphemer. ---
**Author:** ![Nars\_Glinley](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nars_glinley/32/8177_2.png) [@Nars\_Glinley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nars_Glinley)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2010, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-comedy-airplane-was-released-30-years-ago-surely-you-cant-be-serious/546249/199 "2010-07-21T14:40:15Z")
> [@China\_Guy](#): > > I saw the first cut audience reaction free showing at UC Davis when I was a freshman. IIRC, John Davidson was one of the financial backers and he was at the showing. A couple of scenes got cut out before the final theater release based on the Davis pre-view. [Deleted scenes.](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ufxR6w7T1M&feature=related) ---
**Author:** ![Hypno-Toad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b2d939/32.png) [@Hypno-Toad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hypno-Toad)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2010, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-comedy-airplane-was-released-30-years-ago-surely-you-cant-be-serious/546249/200 "2010-07-21T14:55:46Z")
Weird, I remember some of those scenes. Maybe they were included in the TV showings. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-comedy-airplane-was-released-30-years-ago-surely-you-cant-be-serious/546249.md?page=9) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-comedy-airplane-was-released-30-years-ago-surely-you-cant-be-serious/546249.md?page=11)